


lean on me

by b_minor



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, M/M, takes place somewhere a little before part 3 chapter 4.5, technically platonic and more pre-relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-25 12:17:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15640611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/b_minor/pseuds/b_minor
Summary: Vague early part 3 spoilersRyuu gets a text from Sougo. There is a convenience store run and a late night conversation on a park bench.





	lean on me

After he and Gaku had dinner and a few post-job drinks together, Ryuu had chosen to walk back to his apartment so that the evening air could sober him up. Whistling to himself, as he looks around he realizes that the area seemed oddly familiar. Stopping in his tracks, he takes a closer look at his surroundings, finally recognizing a few buildings that they’d passed when Anesagi-san had driven them to the dorms where the members of Idolish7 stayed together.

 

“I didn’t realize how close our usual drinking place was to them, we should invite the adults with us next time,” he muses aloud. Just as that thought crosses his mind, Ryuu feels his phone buzz once, then twice more. Pulling it out of his back pocket after a few uncoordinated fumbles, he taps it open and finds that all of them had come from the same sender.

 

**From: Osaka Sougo**

 

_ <21:32> _

_ Tsunashi-san, I’m sorry for disturbing you so late in the evening  _

_ but I was wondering if you happened to have time to chat?  _

_ There’s something I would like to discuss with you if possible. _

 

_ <22:03> _

_ Are you already asleep? _

 

_ <22:16> _

_ On second thought, you must be asleep. My sincerest apologies. _

 

_ <22:17> _

_ Please ignore the last few messages. _

  
  


A worried frown tugs at his lips and Ryuu feels guilty for not noticing when he had received the first message. Ever since their collaboration on LOVE&GAME for the Zero Arena grand re-opening, he and Sougo had texted one another now and then, mostly about their shared interest in a wide variety of musical genres or recipes they’d found interesting. Even then, Sougo was not the type to typically message first unless it was particularly urgent. Before he knew it he had tapped out a response.

 

**Me:** ****  
  


_ <22:20> _ **_  
_ ** _ Sorry for the late reply, Sougo-kun! I’m awake,  _

_ I was out with Gaku earlier in the evening so  _

_ I didn’t see your messages until just now.  _

_ W _ _ e can definitely talk.  _

 

_ What’s up? _

 

**From: Osaka Sougo**

 

_ <22:24> _

_ Tsunashi-san! Good evening.  _

_ I’m sorry for the earlier messages,  _

_ don’t worry about it. Please rest well. _

 

Ryuu’s thumb hovers over the keyboard, hesitant. Should he leave it at that or press a bit further? It was so difficult to gauge a person’s true feelings through words on a screen alone. Sougo had brushed off his concern so easily, which to be honest was a little disheartening. Then, and perhaps it was the alcohol still warming him, Ryuu gives in to his impulses and presses the call icon instead. He brings it to his ear, heart beating just a bit faster than before as he starts walking. He takes a deep breath, gathering all of the stern authority he could muster into his voice to respond once Sougo’s soft voice whispers through the line. 

 

“Hello?”

 

“I thought we’d agreed that you weren’t allowed to hesitate if there was something bothering you, Sougo-kun.”

 

“T-T-Tsunashi-san?!?!”   
  


He failed to stifle a small chuckle at how flustered the other man sounds. It was cute. “In my experience I know you can be oddly stubborn about keeping all of your problems to yourself, so I thought I’d check on you after those texts you sent earlier. Sorry again that I didn’t hear my phone the first few times.”   
  


“I wouldn’t want to cause trouble for you at such a late hour!”

 

“If it’s to ease the worries of a friend, there’s really no trouble at all,” he replies, coming to a stop and leaning against a lamp pole. “In fact, I happen to be in the area right now and I’m actually quite close to your dorms. Shall we take a walk?”

 

A beat. Ryuu holds his breath. Had he perhaps been too overbearing? He must have had one or two beers too many, this was going to be so awkward the next time they had to work together--

 

“I’ll be out in a moment.”

 

\-----

 

It takes five minutes before Ryuu hears the sound of a door clicking shut, and rapid footsteps. He watches as Sougo nearly trips over in his haste, and instinctually lurches forward despite being nowhere near close enough to catch him had he actually fallen. 

 

“I’m sorry for making you wait for so long, Tsunashi-san! And at such a late hour…” Sougo fidgeted with his face mask, which had gone askew earlier. He squints his eyes just a bit, bringing up a hand up to Ryuu’s forehead. “You look a bit flushed, is everything alright?”

 

“A-ah, that. I may be a little tipsy; Gaku and I were at a nearby izakaya earlier.” Ryuu ducks his head and scratches the back of his neck nervously, feeling the tips of his ears grow a bit warmer from the unexpected physical contact. “Anyway, sorry for coming here so suddenly! Are the others all asleep?”

 

Even though his face was partially hidden, Sougo couldn’t hide the tension in his shoulders as he replied. “I believe so. They. We’ve. It’s been quieter recently. But, I couldn’t stop feeling restless. My mind wouldn’t keep still enough for me to sleep.”

 

Ah, there was definitely a story there. Ryuu asks, “Is there a convenience store nearby? I’ve always believed that drinking something warm can always help with that.”

 

“Y-yes, it’s this way.” 

 

The late hour meant that other customers were few and far between. The girl at the cash register gapes in recognition but nods furiously in understanding when Sougo brings a finger to his lips, quietly asking her not to make a fuss. They chat while she rings up their drinks (a coffee for him, an herbal tea for Sougo), though even at a whisper her enthusiasm for Mezzo” is very clear. Ryuu pays, and tries not to laugh by how overwhelmed she looks after Sougo’s fingers accidentally brush hers as she hands over the bag with their purchases. Perhaps a bit self-consciously, Sougo brings his mask up just a bit higher over his nose as they exit. Eventually they wander across an empty park and sit down at one of the creaky wooden benches.

 

“Walking around in public has been more difficult recently. Maybe I should start wearing glasses as well, or a hat.” Sougo rustles around the bag and hands Ryuu his coffee. “Thank you again for the tea. I insist on treating you next time.”

 

Ryuu pats his shoulder sympathetically. “Sorry to say, but as your popularity increases it'll only get harder from here. And don't worry about paying me back, it’s the least I could do for making you come out so late at night with me.” The tab makes a sharp cracking sound when he opens the coffee can, and he takes a small sip. Not as amazing as the freshly brewed stuff, but it warmed him from the inside. “Speaking of which, let's get back on track. What's troubling you?”

 

Sougo’s hands tighten around his tea, and Ryuu regrets being so direct for the second time that night. He waits and takes another awkward sip of coffee to fill the silence, aware that the other man sometimes needed time to put together the words he wanted to speak. Finally, his patience is rewarded as Sougo takes a deep breath and sets down his tea on the bench between them before folding his hands in his lap. 

 

“I’m afraid that I am not at liberty to disclose the details at length, but Mitsuki-kun and Yamato-san had a huge fight and both of them left the dorms. Iori-kun didn't want to leave his brother alone so he's also gone. It's just me, Tamaki, Riku, and Nagi left at the moment, and honestly it hurts to see all of them look so depressed and as the oldest one there I feel like I need to do  _ something  _ to help them but I just don't know. I can't -“ He clenches his fists in his lap. “I don’t know what to do. If there’s anything I could do to make the situation better.”

 

“Where are Yamato-kun and the Izumi brothers now?”

 

“Yamato-kun is with Yuki-san right now, since they're working on a drama together. Momo-san took in Iori-kun and Mitsuki-san. They've both been trying their best to push them to make up, but the two of them are so stubborn. Even though they’re always checking in on the rest of us…they both said that they won't come back until the other does.”

 

“That's a rough situation for sure,” he replies, knocking back the rest of the coffee. He brings a hand up to Sougo’s shoulder. “Recently, IDOLiSH7 and Trigger haven’t had any projects together so we haven’t really had the chance to chat in person, huh? I wish I’d learned sooner.”

 

“I know that Trigger is always extremely busy, and we have been involved in several projects as well. I didn’t want to concern anyone with our affairs, especially since so far it hasn’t had an impact on our work, so….” Sougo looks away, curling into himself with his head bowed, as if ashamed. After a nervous exhale he continues. “It’s just hard once we’re back at the dorms, when those three don’t come back with us. I can't be a mood maker like Nagi or Mitsuki or Riku. I've little experience with matters like this so I can't give advice like Yamato...I feel so useless.”

 

Giving the younger man’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze, Ryuu shakes his head. “You’ve been doing your best, and I’m sure the others recognize that. Knowing you, you’ve been making sure that Riku, Nagi, and Tamaki have been eating properly, right? Yamato-kun and Mitsuki-kun will definitely come around eventually, it’ll just take some time for the two of them to cool off first. Just trust in that love you know they have for all of you.”

 

After a beat, Sougo finally turns to look at him. Ryuu’s heart aches at the clear effort the other man is making not to cry, his eyes glistening with unshed tears that he immediately turns away to wipe into his shirtsleeve. Sougo continues to cover his face, so it’s a bit muffled when he says, “M-my apologies for making you see something so shameful just now. Thank you for your encouragement. You’re right, those kids are counting on me so I have to keep doing my best and believe in Mitsuki-san and Yamato-san.”

 

“Sougo-kun…” 

 

Ryuu leans forward, bringing a hand up to try and draw Sougo’s arm down, but he quickly shakes his head back and forth and tries to pull away from Ryuu’s grasp while still hiding his face. He’s surprisingly strong for someone who looks so delicate, Ryuu finds himself tugging just a tad more firmly. Then, a surprised yelp escapes from the other man and Ryuu is confused until he feels a dampness on his jeans and looks down to find the forgotten (but surprisingly still warm) tea can rolling on its side, the contents quickly seeping across the bench along with onto their pants. Sougo frantically stands up and pulls off his signature shawl, which he then uses to blot at the damp spot as he mumbles what Ryuu assumes to be a long, incoherent string of apologies. Meanwhile, Ryuu can feel his brain shutting down as his kouhai’s hand brushes innocently, dangerously close to places they should not be before his body kicks into action and leans down to stay Sougo’s hand. He stands, drawing Sougo up with him. 

 

“I’m so sorry, Tsunashi-san! If I hadn’t moved so recklessly the tea wouldn’t have spilled on you. It’s all my fault. Those are probably designer jeans, aren’t they? I’ll pay for the dry cleaning, do jeans use dry cleaning--”

 

“Sougo-kun, calm down. It’s fine! Rather, it looks like you didn’t get away unscathed either.” he replies, gesturing to a stain on Sougo’s otherwise impeccably neat khakis. 

 

“B-but--”

 

A well timed head pat on his part quiets any further objections from the younger man. Ryuu takes the opportunity to even ruffle it slightly and feels his heart squeeze just a bit when Sougo looks up with a small pout. Even with the corners of his eyes looking slightly redder and swollen, Sougo was still cute. How could someone be this cute?

 

“I’m not a child, Tsunashi-san.”

 

“Sorry, sorry. I couldn’t help it.” He continues to ignore the way the stain on his pants is growing increasingly uncomfortable as it cools. “In all seriousness though, I hope that you've been taking care of yourself too. I know there's a lot going on, but if you aren't at your best then you won't be able to help with your best, right?”

 

Sougo laces his fingers together, ducking his head. Ryuu catches a glimpse of redness at the tips of his ears, though it could also be attributed to the cold night air. He should probably take him home soon. Sougo looks up and smiles shyly up at Ryuu when he answers, “You're right, I'll try to keep that in mind. Thank you, Tsunashi-san; I feel a bit lighter, having talked to you.”

 

“I’m glad.” Ryuu pulls out his phone to check the time, eyes furrowing when he finds it to be a few minutes past midnight. “As much as I would love to continue chatting, you’re probably still working tomorrow right? Let’s get you home so that you can change and sleep.”

 

Perhaps it was wishful thinking on his part, but there’s a hint of disappointment in Sougo’s expression when he nods in agreement. Once the drink cans are properly disposed of, Ryuu makes small talk with Sougo as they walk back to the Takanashi Productions dorms. It’s nice to talk in person about topics that they can usually only discuss through texts, with hours in between responses. He wishes they could do this more often. When Sougo shyly mentions that he and Tamaki have been in talks to host a radio program together about music, Ryuu makes a mental note to follow up so that he could tune in and support Mezzo”.

 

“I think you’ll be a great host, Sougo-kun. I’ve heard a few of your late-night talk show interviews and I always learn something new from you about the music that’s out there in the world. Your analysis on Route-L's discography was very detailed!”

 

“Y-you’ve listened to that one? Ah, I feel somewhat embarrassed by how much I rambled on about Route-L to Terada-san on his show, but he was very gracious about the whole thing. But yes, I hope it works out, so please look forward to it,” Sougo replies as they come to a stop at the front entrance of the dorms. “And thank you again for tonight. Although it’s still somewhat frustrating that there’s not much I can really do at the moment regarding those two, at the very least I want to be able to look after Tamaki-kun and the others properly.”

 

Ryuu’s expression softens, and before he can help it he finds himself patting Sougo on the head again, then pulling him in for a hug. After a brief moment where the smaller man stiffens, as if unsure of how to proceed, Ryuu feels thin arms circle around his waist. He hears Sougo tell him another muffled thank you into his chest, and with one last, deep squeeze, pulls away.

 

“Good night, Tsunashi-san. Travel safe.”

 

“Good night, Sougo-kun. Don’t be a stranger, alright? Message me whenever you’d like, it doesn’t even have to be about anything in particular!”

 

Sougo’s cheeks flush a light pink as he nods. Then with one last bow he turns around to head for the entrance. 

 

Ryuu stay put for the few minutes it takes to make sure that Sougo safely enters the building.  Once the younger man is out of sight, it’s as if his body suddenly feels how late at night it is, and he gives a huge yawn. Scratching the back of his neck, he briefly entertains the thought of hailing a cab before immediately striking it out--idol or not, the fare rate would be expensive at this hour. Sliding his hands into his pockets, he starts walking home. At least he didn’t have anything scheduled until the evening. 

 

Maybe if he wakes up in the afternoon, he’ll try that one vegetable scramble recipe Sougo’d sent him awhile back and send a photo of the results. It’d be sure to cheer him up.

**Author's Note:**

> I just felt really bad for sougo and the kiddos after mitsuki and yamato had their temporary divorce and wanted him to decompress by talking it out with someone??? I guess??? Sorry gaku I'll get to your late bday fic eventually.
> 
> anyway talk i7 to me on twitter [@bflat_minor](twitter.com/bflat_minor)


End file.
